This year, PCCW Global Charity Run 2017 successfully raised a total of S$50,000 for Make-A-Wish Singapore to fulfil the wishes and dreams of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

A cheque was presented to Mr. Rajendra Pai, Vice Chairman of Make-A-Wish Singapore, by Mr. Mike van den Bergh, Chief Marketing Officer of PCCW Global, prior to the start of the run. The funds will be used to grant more than 130 children’s wishes this year.

We were really thrilled to be out here, bright and early this morning, to come together and to clock up some miles for this very worthy cause. Seeing this many people, and even a number of corporates, showing up to stand shoulder to shoulder at the starting line for the common purpose of putting a smile on a child’s face is something that really felt good. Working together towards making a child’s wish come true is deeply fulfilling and only drives us further to ensure we continue with this annual initiative.

Mr. Rajendra Pai added,

Being part of the PCCW Global Charity Run 2017 has been truly inspiring, especially meeting individuals and companies who take time out to be part of the cause. We are thankful to PCCW Global for the support shown and for selecting Make-A-Wish Singapore as the beneficiary for this event. Bringing the community together has provided us with an avenue to continue our dedicated efforts in granting wishes for these resilient children and further enforces our goal in bringing hope, strength and joy to every medically eligible child.

Why Make-A-Wish?

According to Mr Mike van den Bergh, a variety of factors were considered when selecting a beneficiary for the event, including the community the organization serves, its overall purpose and vision, and the proven ability of the beneficiary to meet its goals. He added,

Make-A-Wish Singapore's track record of fulfilling the wishes of children with life threatening medical conditions over the many years truly impressed us. We have chosen them as the beneficiary of this year's PCCW Global Charity Run because we admire their continued efforts in bringing hope, strength and joy to every eligible child and we hope to offer our support, alongside other corporate groups, as another way to give back to those in our society who need and deserve it the most.

Representatives from PCCW Global's Management flanked by the top three runners for the Men's and Women's categories. Photo Credit: PCCW Global

Support from Yellow Fellow

The Yellow Fellows, a group of regular charity runners dressed in bright fluorescent yellow also took part in the 5KM run as the ambassadors of Make-A-Wish Singapore.

Randall Tan, a local media personality who is part of the Yellow Fellows, said,

As ambassadors of Make-A-Wish Singapore, we took part in this year's PCCW Global Charity Run with the hope of raising more awareness about the foundation, which will in turn help to fulfil the wishes of these children in need via donations. The run was well organized and the funds raised will definitely help in motivating these children to carry on fighting.

Representatives from PCCW Global, Make-A-Wish Singapore and the Yellow Fellows posing for a photo before the start of the run. Photo Credit: PCCW Global

Support from Corporate Groups

Mr Thomas Tay, Senior Director, Asia Pacific, Frost & Sullivan, said,

PCCW has always supported our annual charity cause - Frost the Trail Corporate Charity Run - and we, in turn, have participated in this year's run to support their cause. There are many charity runs in Singapore but we chose to support the PCCW Global Charity Run, based on our partnership with our client.

For Mr Sebastian Tan, Country Manager, Wurth Electronics Singapore Pte Ltd, this year is his second time joining PCCW Global Charity Run. He said,

We are always looking for more avenues to create awareness for our staff on the importance of giving and showing kindness and care to the less fortunate. With this platform created by PCCW, we gave ourselves the opportunity to take a small step to participate as a team and in turn, keep ourselves fit for the event and make a humble donation to Make-A-Wish Singapore.

When asked about how corporate groups can increase their support in charity run, Mr Sebastian Tan added,

There are many ways and means that a company like Wurth Electronics can do more than just participating in such running events. I think the most important objective is creating more awareness that we are not living in this world alone. It always start from the heart and as long as we believe in helping one another and showing empathy to the less fortunate, we can become better human beings and at the same time, learn to appreciate the simpler things in life such as family, friendship and appreciation.

Employees from PCCW Global celebrating a successful run at the end of the event. Photo Credit: PCCW Global

How Public Can Continue to Grant the Wishes of Children with Life-Threatening Medical Conditions

Mr Rajendra Pai, Vice Chairman of Make-A-Wish Singapore, remarked that there are many ways in which public can contribute, such as through cash donation, volunteering as a wish granter, helping out at Make-A-Wish events or referring a child (between 3 - 18 years old) with a life-threatening medical condition to Make-A-Wish.

Your support for Make-A-Wish will make an impactful difference in the lives of children and families in need. You can visit www.makeawish.org.sg for more details on how you can help champion wish granting.

Eva is a casual runner who has been hooked on marathons since her first race in 2011. She’s content to spend her weekends only on running. She is also a hiking enthusiast and traveling addict. When she’s not doing outdoor activities, she indulges in reading.